Akai MPC Live Mk II

i have a mpc1k but don’t use it often.
the immediacy of quickly loading kits and having the mpc software also readily available to quickly transfer over projects is ace.

And aren’t they outputs, not inputs?

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Great question, I didn’t read the that part. I would say they are but I honestly don’t know much about CV or it’s connectivity.

CV on the One are Outputs only, I think on the live should be the same.
Also at software level, there is not input functionality…

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Going to play with the samplers I already have now. Forget about it.

With 2.8 firmware seems Akai addressed the biggest problem for me: Midi, in a way that exceeded my best expectations (if it works fine).
Live vs Live 2 vs One (for me)
used live is out of game for me
Mpc One Vs live2, the mpc one only wins for the price
Live2 pro’s
a real 1/4" headphones jack, not a big deal, but for me is a great plus.
midi ports x 2
4 more outputs + phono riaa these are not big deals but it is something I will probably use and it is good to have
portable - never needed a portable audio device, but once I have one I will probably use it a lot. Having soft instruments should be fine for creating midi tracks, they will then be easily replaced with real synths or better vst’s. I got an op-1 (sold), similar if you want but closed, not compatible with a workflow like this.
speakers - before seeing the live 2 I never tough about a speaker on a mpc but thinking for a completely different perspective it should be quite useful if added to the portability of the live2.
I mean, I don’t need it, but if I have it I will use it.
I find myself using only the modular rig or one instrument for experiments or other things, sometimes for half an our or so, powering the mac and the whole rig just for experimenting an idea with a filter on the modular is annoying and time consuming. I have a small ikea speaker around but is crap and cannot judge a sound based on it.
So I imagine the mpc floating in the studio with cv, midi and audio capability with a big screen and something similar to a small daw in a (relatively) small form factor, not bad at all.
Also late at night I cannot use the studio monitors, I can at low levels, but the sound is not balanced (and another 2 things to power on). The headphones especially in summer are not very comfy, so I should use the live 2 speaker as the main monitors, at low volume.

Another con for the one is the SD card access, you have to remove the SD card to access from the computer, this is something that bothers me a lot. With the live you can access the internal storage directly from USB connection.

Also the live 2, seems will have more features than the ONE, and the X will have more features than the live 2.

So, for me, for my use, there are enough feature to prefer the live 2 over the one. And that’s why I will probably buy it.

After all, we buy on emotion and justify with logic, the above arguments seems logic enough to me :grin:

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where does it say you can’t do the same with the internal storage on the one using usb?

that’s really inconvenient if so.
i checked akai’s site but the info is vague.

Never realized before that the One was that smaller compared to the live… now that’s actually a pro in my view for the one.

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I need to open a flaming thread about MPC Live mk2 vs Octatrack MK1/2 choice on which (one) to get (first). :man_facepalming: :grin:

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Yea. Same here. Compared to what I already have: OT, MS, Ableton and VSTs, 16” MBP, iMac, I’ve figured the main thing the MPC would give me is a touch screen interface.

And I’ve been getting heavier into Reaktor based sample manipulation lately, which is going to be hard to find elsewhere, plus in a month NI should start their summer sale and I’ll be able to update my Kontakt license to Komplete for $200-ish

The MPC softsynths are attractive but nothing compared to what I have in Massive X.

In some ways, the thing that makes the new MPCs so appealing, their DAW-ness, is what rules them out for me.

So utilizing what I already have and spending a little more on software is a more logical way forward for me.

Plus it gives me more reasons to bust out my LPD-8 wireless.

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:point_right: :door: :laughing:

Seems like they lean towards using a USB stick on the One to move files around. IMO, it’s $500 more and in total, it’s a very heft price at close to $1200. I have a tough time justifying paying that much for an MPC Live MK2. That said - Memorial Day sales may start popping up and could entice me.

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:blush: I actually like the idea of the speaker. I don’t need another MPC, but would be into the MK2 otherwise.

I jam with my laptop speakers all the time

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Exactly. It’s a great idea. I just wish Ableton made a standalone box instead of Akai. Quite frankly the UI seems massively convoluted and annoying

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I had the Mpc One for 2 weeks or so, the workflow appear extremely natural, maybe because I have a mpc1K, dont know. Didnt need to read any manual, made 3/4 beats in a snap.
Maschine required months to master. And after the mpc one maschine seems unusable, in fact I am pondering to sell the maschine mk2 and the maschine jam
YMMV of course

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I can assure you: you can’t access internal storage, SD included, with the ONE via USB, thats one of the reasons I return the ONE

OT1/2 vs MPC are totally different beasts.
OT is not for everyone, it is a nerd machine. MPC is a complete system you can master in a month or two. OT can take years.
Two different worlds.
(I have an OT1 since it was released)

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If you try to make the MPC act like a DAW it will annoy and disappoint you. If you treat it like a drum machine you’ll absolutely love it.

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Sure that makes sense. But why add all the DAW like abilities if Akai is best suited to sampling capable drum machines? It still seems like the most recent Akais fall between two stools to me

The piano roll can come in handy for some detailed editing but I don’t really use it. I don’t use the clip mode at all or the looper and I’m totally fine with that. I say this because what I do use it for it really shines. Sample chopping, beat smashing those soft pads and midi sequencing. With the new update I’ll be midi recording from my DT four tracks at a time with plocks and conditional trigs all over the place.

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